Rising Sun Epilogue: Of Brothers
by Black Oracle
Summary: ROTF 2009. As Optimus Prime continues to mourn his lost ancestry, he remembers other painful losses in the war. An epilogue for my "Rising Sun" story. Optimus Prime holds a personal regret in regards to Sideswipe in the final 3rd part.
1. Chapter 1

This is an epilogue to my fic "Rising Sun". It will consist of 3 parts. I've decided to post this separate from "Rising Sun" though because i think it could also stand as a short story on it's own, though reading "Rising Sun" would help readers understand this first part better.

As the title "Of Brothers" suggests, the inspiration behind this epilogue was a few Transformers brother relationships, from the movie and one well-known pair from G1. The idea of brothers ties in nicely with the lost family theme of "Rising Sun" too i thought.

This epilogue obviously follows after Optimus Prime's visit to The Tomb of The Primes in "Rising Sun".

Transformers belongs to Hasbro and their related movies to Paramount and Dreamworks!

**Rising Sun -**** Epilogue: Of Brothers – Part 1**

Optimus Prime felt the burning heat of a sun surrounding him, penetrating his body armour and seeping right into his very spark, but oddly, he was not melting. He felt like he was simply being filled with pure white hot light, without feeling any discomfort from the heat.

He was curled up at the centre of a sun, or at least he thought he was. But neither time nor location seemed of any particular importance to him at this moment. He was at peace simply existing in his heated, intensely white environment. His metal fingers sifted through the embryonic fluid-like white heat that he floated in, needy for its intense warmth and nourishment.

He felt the life-giving solar energy coursing through his systems, sustaining him, strengthening him, feeding him. An alien hunger rose from deep within him to consume more of this sun's heat. His whole body seemed to 'drink' in the white hotness he was suspended in, absorbing its intense energy, its limitless power... He stopped. This did not seem right. He was indulging his mysterious craving for this solar power.

Suddenly, he watched and felt his surrounding white solar heat accumulate into a form in front of him. A blindingly white form manifested before him. He attempted to shield his optics with a hand, but the white light penetrated through his fingers like hot liquid.

A shining white hand reached out to Optimus. Instinctively, he reached out to it as well. The brilliant white hand firmly yet gracefully grasped his. Optimus was drawn gently toward the blindingly white being.

"_My Rising Sun_...," resonated from the white being.

Optimus instantly recognised the voice.

"Prima…father?" he uttered in astonishment.

The white light was subdued and the Prime known as 'Prima' was revealed before Optimus. His royal blue optics, that so resembled Optimus's own, glowed with a warm hue and his arms were spread invitingly. A bewildered yet euphoric Optimus fell into the Prime's waiting embrace. Father and son held on to one another for a timeless moment. Optimus pressed himself into his father's warm and comforting body. He did not ever want to let go. He felt Prima's ancient, elegant fingers stroking the back of his helmeted head soothingly. His voice resonated in his audio sensors.

"_The Primes thrive on the power of suns, as all life essentially does, and we respect and protect the life that arises from it. Thus we do not misuse that power or take more than we need. As we are fed by the energy of suns, The Primes too act as guiding suns to light the way for others. Optimus Prime, my precious rising sun, you are the last of us, and you burn brightest of us all. I cannot be prouder._"

Without warning, Prima's embracing arms dissipated from Optimus's own.

"Wait!" Optimus cried in dismay.

But his father's body had once more de-evolved back into burning white light. Optimus felt himself being engulfed by the light…

* * *

"Optimus! Optimus!"

Optimus's brilliant royal blue optics jolted back online. He shot up into a seated position. To his side, he identified the voice that had been calling his name: his trusted weapons specialist, Ironhide. Ironhide had leaned back a little to avoid being knocked by his leader's sudden rising armoured elbows.

"Whoah! Easy, Optimus! It's just me, Ironhide!"

Optimus blinked a couple of times.

"Ironhide," he murmured.

Optimus looked around himself. He observed that he was sitting on one of Ratchet's raised repair tables in the Autobot medic's makeshift N.E.S.T. repair room. He was obviously no longer in Egypt, but back on the island of Diego Garcia at the N.E.S.T. military base.

Optimus's head fell into one of his hands tiredly. Waking up so suddenly from his dream had been jarring and unpleasant, like he had been forcefully withdrawn from a source of addiction. He resisted the primal desire to shut himself down into stasis mode again and seek refuge and comfort in his dreams once more.

"Are you alright, Optimus?" Ironhide asked with concern.

Optimus felt miserable. He felt like his spark had been ripped out of his chest chamber and a terrible void had been left there. He wanted nothing more than to return to the comfort and peace of his father's secure embrace.

He forced himself to smile reassuringly at a concerned-looking Ironhide instead.

"I'm fine, Ironhide. There is no need for concern."

"I found you in stasis mode at The Tomb of The Primes. Had to drag you back here on a cargo plane. You've been in stasis for over twenty-four Earth hours," Ironhide informed. "I think you may have been out in the Egyptian sun too long."

Optimus's head sunk down again.

"Thank you for finding me, Ironhide," he said half-heartedly.

Ironhide cocked his head to one side, studying Optimus's apparently moody expression.

"What happened to you out there?" he queried.

Optimus sighed.

"I just…saw a lot of things," he answered simply and wearily.

"I think my fuel pumps nearly seized up when I found you in stasis at the tomb! You tryin' to send an old bot into retirement?" Ironhide complained with a disapproving look. "I knew I should have come with you when you expressed a desire to go back to Egypt. But no, you being Optimus insisted that you'd be fine on your own. Next time you decide to go travelling somewhere, I'm coming with you whether you like it or not!"

Optimus studied a frustrated Ironhide thoughtfully for a moment.

"I apologise for the concern I have caused you, Ironhide," was his carefully calculated response.

Ironhide crossed his arms in a displeased manner.

"Ratchet will be back in a klik to give you a full diagnostic check-up," he informed sternly.

Optimus chose to ignore this. He swung his sizeable legs down onto the floor off the repair table.

"That won't be necessary. I am fully functional and undamaged," Optimus stated.

"Hang on, Optimus…"

But Optimus was already at the door of the repair room. Ironhide shook his head.

"You're stubborn sometimes, Optimus. I don't know why I bother trying to advise you sometimes. I guess being the leader means you don't have to listen to your soldiers and subordinates."

Optimus turned his head back to Ironhide. His expression softened.

"You are one of my oldest friends, Ironhide. Your practical knowledge of warfare and weaponry has been invaluable throughout our war. And I turn to you for direct and truthful opinions. I have always held your counsel in the highest regard."

Ironhide smiled.

"You always know the right thing to say to earn the respect of others, Optimus. But I do think you should at least get more rest before you return to normal duties."

Optimus's blue optics glowed with a weariness that was indicative of his age.

"Thank you, Ironhide. But I can never rest for too long."

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

We take another dip into Optimus Prime's past as he remembers a lost brother...

Thank you for reviewing my last part Prime Revolver and Refracted Imagination!

**Rising Sun – Epilogue: Of Brothers - Part 2**

"What you did was foolish, reckless, dangerous…and commendably brave. Welcome to the Autobot forces, soldiers."

The words once spoken by the illustrious Optimus Prime were being replayed proudly in Skids' and Mudflap's memories. They were beaming to themselves at the recollection of how their first field mission here on Earth had ended. Sure they had accidentally blown up a random warehouse in Detroit, but they had also heroically rescued their assigned overseer, Bumblebee, from the explosion. After calling them "hot-headed, careless young punks" amongst other things, Bumblebee had finally thanked them for saving him. All in all, the Autobot brothers were pretty sure that they had managed to make a good first impression on Autobot leader Optimus Prime in their first Earth mission, despite a few road bumps. They were keen to prove their worth to their leader.

Now, as Skids and Mudflap were overeagerly carrying crates in one of the N.E.S.T. storage hangers, they continued trying to prove themselves. Their simple crate-lifting activity had fast become a competition between the Autobot brothers of who could lift the most weight.

"Just admit it!" Mudflap demanded of his green twin. "I can take more than you!"

"You blind, 'flap?! I'm carryin' five boxes here!" Skids argued back at his bronze twin.

"Mine are heavier though!" Mudflap contested.

"Heavier?! You're carrying the same crates as me, dumb-ass!"

Mudflap dropped his pile of stacked crates loudly onto the ground.

"Who you calling dumb-ass, motor-mouth?!"

Skids also dropped his stack of crates and glared hotly at his twin brother.

"Everyone knows you got water for processors, dumb-ass!"

Mudflap lunged at his green twin in fury. A noisy brawl ensued. The brawling brothers threw more grunting insults at one another.

Optimus Prime and Ironhide walked into the hanger at that very moment. They were taken aback, though not entirely surprised, to find the Autobot twins rolling along the floor trying to bash each other.

The arguing Autobot twins suddenly felt large, strong hands land firmly on their shoulders. With an almost effortless, yet solid spread of his long and powerful arms, Optimus Prime separated them. Skids and Mudflap looked up at him in surprise.

"Optimus Prime!" Skids stuttered.

"Sir!" Mudflap blurted, smacking himself on the head as he impulsively saluted to the Autobot leader.

Optimus Prime looked down at the pair sternly. The Autobot twins shrunk with shame under the intense glare of their leader's penetrating blue optics.

A subtle heaviness descended briefly over Optimus's optic ridges as he studied the two brothers. He was painfully reminded of one he had once called 'brother' too...

* * *

Cybertron, at the start of the Autobot-Decepticon civil war.

Optimus Prime heard the charging of a weapon behind him. He jumped to one side as a powerful laser beam shot right past him. Spinning around, he came face to face with an attacker he had hoped not to encounter: Megatron.

"Surrender and give me the Allspark, Optimus Prime!" Megatron bellowed with frightening force.

"Megatron…," Optimus sadly spoke, "you condemn us to war, destruction and death for power."

"Power is everything," Megatron coldly responded.

"I trusted you once, brother. We ruled Cybertron side by side, fairly and firmly, for stellar cycles," Optimus continued in a saddened tone. "Megatron, the Lord High Protector, protected our people. But _you_ are someone I do not recognise, someone driven by cold ambition, cruel and twisted. You have deceived me and many others. You are not the brother I knew."

"I have indeed changed!"

Megatron landed a heavy punch across Optimus's masked face, causing him to stagger backwards.

"I have grown stronger!" Megatron rumbled dangerously. "Whilst you remain weak, brother. Your ideals of growth through scientific study and quiet development make our race's progress slow and limited. You rule with wisdom and fairness. But you lack the ambition and strength to drive Cybertron to greater heights. Under my leadership, my strong principles and ambitious direction, our race will become powerful, as we were meant to be. We will be a feared force across the universe."

Megatron brought another devastating fist strike across Optimus's masked face. This time, Optimus fell down to the ground.

"Megatron, please…don't do this." Optimus seemed desperate. "I implore you, brother. Don't force us down this path of conflict. Don't tear our brotherhood apart. Don't tear our world apart."

Megatron's blood-red optics narrowed.

"Look at you, Optimus," he sneered, "pitifully pleading for peace. You are so weak."

Optimus brought his hands underneath his chest, pushing himself up slowly.

"Don't force me…to oppose you," he murmured.

"Oppose me?"

Megatron laughed.

"You don't have the strength to oppose me, Optimus. I know you. You are too weak to fight. You are no warrior."

Optimus stood up.

"I can and will be if necessary!"

From Optimus's arms emerged burning twin energon blades. He saw an expression of surprise enter into Megatron's face as he brought one blade down, than another, across his thickly armoured chest, lacerating it.

Optimus Prime roared as an unknown battle fury took hold of his body.

* * *

As the roar of his memory echoed in his processor, Optimus was still looking down at the Autobot twins sternly. They looked up at him with a mixture of uncertainty and shame.

"You don't know how fortunate you are to have each other."

Optimus's voice was masterfully controlled, both calm and firm at once. But a hint of sorrow was detectable to sensitive audio sensors.

Optimus released his firm grip on the Twins' shoulders and backed away gracefully from them. Their gazes fell pitifully to the floor.

"Some of us no longer have the luxury of siblings to fight with," a foreign voice cut in to the sombre situation.

The silver Autobot Sideswipe had just entered the N.E.S.T. hanger. He glanced briefly at Ironhide who was standing behind Optimus, then at an uneasy Skids and Mudflap.

Finally, his hardened warrior's optics met Optimus's majestic royal blue ones. Sideswipe held his leader in a tense stare.

Optimus's blue optics dimmed sadly.

"We have lost so many brothers…" he murmured.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

Well, it's been a fun run writing "Rising Sun" and this epilogue. This is the last installment. Thank you to all my readers!

And big thank yous to Pheonix13, Prime Revolver, Refracted Imagination and Jesus Luvs Everyone for reviewing this epilogue so far!

In this final part, there's a little bit of interesting history between Optimus Prime and Sideswipe. Yes, there was a reason Sideswipe popped up at the end of the last part! What personal regret does the leader of the Autobots hold in regards to him? It's something to do with the loss of brothers...

Amidst all the tragedies of his long and arduous existence, what comfort remains for the last Prime?

**Rising Sun – Epilogue: Of Brothers – Part 3**

Cybertron, during the Autobot-Decepticon civil war.

Optimus Prime wandered through a devastated and rubble-filled site, a place that had once been an Autobot stronghold. Ironhide followed close to him.

"Autobot survivors will likely have retreated to the emergency bunker in the west side of the city," Ironhide was informing.

Optimus was only half-listening to Ironhide's words.

"I gave the order…sentenced Polyhex to destruction and some of our Autobots to death…all are gone," he murmured to himself.

Ironhide turned sympathetically to his leader.

"Optimus, most of the Autobots that were stationed here will have survived. You told those who could to evacuate. We could not allow the Decepticons to take this place. It had too much valuable Autobot data and resources. You did the only thing you could in giving the order to bring this place down," Ironhide reasoned.

Their audio sensors then detected a faint voice. An Autobot survivor? Optimus and Ironhide quickly began searching for the voice's source amongst the rubble.

Optimus located the source of the voice. He froze. His spark sank in his chest. He had found the yellow Autobot warrior Sunstreaker crushed under rubble. He looked barely online. Ironhide joined his leader at his side and looked down miserably at his gut-wrenching discovery too.

Optimus knelt down and began urgently removing the metalwork under which Sunstreaker was trapped. As he removed more and more of the rubble, Optimus saw the terrible extent of damage that Sunstreaker had suffered. Both of the yellow Autobot's legs and one arm had been blown off, his body armour was riddled with shrapnel perforations and had been severely weakened by several large cracks, and his head was nearly crushed, bent horribly out of its original mould shape. Sunstreaker was undoubtedly beyond repair and suffering excruciating pain.

"Optimuuz…pleaszz…kill me…" Sunstreaker barely managed to utter.

Optimus's optic ridges fell into an expression of terrible pain. The piercing blue light of his optics dimmed into their darkest possible shade. He fought to steady his body that was threatening to tremble with uncontrollable anguish.

"Ironhide, please step back and turn away," Optimus quietly requested.

"Optimus, it's okay. I can…" Ironhide began.

"Now, Ironhide." Optimus's low voice took on a more desperate force.

The black Autobot weapons specialist fell silent and did as he was commanded. He moved back a good distance and turned around to look away from Optimus and the damaged body of Sunstreaker.

With secure and supportive arms, Optimus reached down and picked up a broken Sunstreaker. He brought the yellow Autobot's fragile body to his chest in a surprisingly gentle hug. With one hand, Optimus steadied Sunstreaker's crushed head onto his own broad shoulder. He brought his other arm back and allowed a vibrant orange energon blade to slide out silently from his wrist.

"Rest now, Sunstreaker. You've earned it," Optimus whispered reassuringly.

The energon blade plunged swiftly into Sunstreaker's chest and through his fading spark. A weak smile spread across his metal lips. The yellow Autobot's flickering cracked optics turned black. His body finally fell limp in Optimus's embracing arms. The energon blade was pulled out. Liquid energon dripped from its tip. The Autobot Commander slowly laid an offline Sunstreaker down on the ground.

He looked at his dripping energon blade. He looked back at the still form of Sunstreaker. Then, finally, he allowed the terrible wave of anguish he had held back to consume his body. He broke down into grief. He kneeled there, his arms limp at his sides, his hands lying open, his face turned up to the dark heavens, as if awaiting divine judgement.

* * *

Optimus turned his sad gaze away from Sideswipe.

"I carry more regrets than most realise," he said quietly.

Ironhide moved between his leader and Sideswipe.

"We are at war. Optimus does what is necessary," Ironhide stated defensively.

"As do we all," Sideswipe said simply. "I am not judging him."

"Every Autobot spark that we have lost…senseless, unforgivable, tormenting, …unavoidable," Optimus was mumbling. "How many more sacrifices must I allow? How many more Autobots must I send to their deaths before we achieve victory and peace? I have the energon of countless comrades as well as enemies on my hands. What has this war has done to us? To me?"

Optimus's head fell. It was as if looking into anyone's gaze was too painful for him at that moment.

Sideswipe's hardened gaze fell downwards too.

"He judges himself."

* * *

N.E.S.T. base on Diego Garcia, Earth, two days after Sideswipe's arrival on the planet.

Sideswipe stood in the N.E.S.T. hanger reserved for the Autobots. He looked at the, by his opinion, confined space disapprovingly. The whole N.E.S.T. base was far from comfortable for him. So much for Earth being a wonderful new home for exiled Autobots as Optimus Prime had suggested. But then he hadn't expected anything great from the Autobot leader. It wasn't the first time that Optimus Prime had disappointed him.

"Sideswipe, could I speak with you a moment?"

Sideswipe turned to see Optimus Prime standing behind him.

"Can't imagine what you'd have to say to a 'disposable' soldier such as myself, Prime," Sideswipe said with hostility.

Optimus paused. His optics mournfully studied Sideswipe.

"Sunstreaker…" he began.

"An acceptable loss to you," Sideswipe interjected vehemently, "as all Autobots under your command ultimately are! What would you know about losing a brother?!"

"I lost my brother-in-arms a long time ago," Optimus continued quietly, "I lost him to corruption and war. I live with something worse than his death. I live with his undying hate. Please, Sideswipe, don't subject me to live with yours also."

Sideswipe's features remained unmoved.

"But it is 'your' brother that I came to talk to you about."

"I don't understand why you're even bothering to come to me about this," Sideswipe growled, "not like the 'great' Optimus Prime is answerable to anyone."

"The loss of Sunstreaker is not yours alone," Optimus pressed on in a remarkably controlled voice. "I and many others suffer the impact of his loss also. As his brother though, I understand that your grief must be the worst of all. You were closer to him in a way that the no-one else was. But Sideswipe, remember that we have all lost brothers during this war."

To Sideswipe's surprise, Optimus dropped down to one knee in front of him.

"I take responsibility for Sunstreaker's death…and I ask for your forgiveness, Sideswipe."

Optimus's head bowed and he waited in patient silence. Sideswipe was speechless at the sight of the great Autobot leader kneeling submissively in front of him. Optimus Prime himself was asking for his forgiveness! His optics darkened momentarily, a mixture of resentment, grief and pity flowed through him. Finally, Sideswipe looked down at the kneeled Autobot leader with a rare expression of pity.

"There's nothing to forgive, Optimus. War takes away those that are precious to us. The decisions you make are guided by the unpredictable course of war. I heard that you ended Sunstreaker's life when you found him damaged beyond repair, but you only did so to end his suffering. I'm sorry. I directed my anger at you because there was no-one else at whom I could."

Optimus had not moved from his kneeled position. A pained expression had taken over his features. His optics had darkened in remorse. Sideswipe shook his head sadly.

"I see it's not only me you need forgiveness from, Optimus. You need it from yourself too. For whatever good it may do you, from one brother that has lost to another, I forgive you."

* * *

Sideswipe looked up sympathetically at the Autobot leader, as did Ironhide. Skids and Mudflap looked to one another in mild confusion. They could not guess what was transpiring between the three powerful Autobot warriors.

As if pulling himself out of a trance, Optimus inhaled deeply and returned his majestic royal blue gaze to his surrounding Autobots.

"The past is gone. And we must move on into the future," he spoke wisely.

He then lifted his head to one side in the direction of the hanger's exit.

"Perhaps we have all been lingering in the dark too long. We should go out into the light."

With that both literal and metaphoric suggestion, Optimus turned and began heading out of the hanger. Ironhide, Sideswipe and the Autobot twins followed him.

Optimus thought of all that he had personally lost. The Fallen had brought about the deaths of his Prime forefathers and slaughtered his Prime brothers. He had lost his father and his first family, The Dynasty of Primes, before he even knew them.

Then he had lost his replacement father. The Fallen had also murdered his mentor and guardian that had raised him from a hatchling, Alpha Trion.

To avenge his deceased ancestry and save his new home-world, Earth, from destruction, Optimus had slain The Fallen. But in doing so, he had also killed the only other remaining member of his original Prime family, leaving him as the last remaining Prime, leaving him alone without any surviving family.

And finally, his one-time brother-in-arms, Megatron, betrayed him long ago and now was his sworn enemy. Megatron and his Decepticon army had decimated thousands of his brave Autobot soldiers, his comrades. Each of their losses burdened his spark so heavily.

Optimus had lost his ancestral family, his father, his mentor, his brother-in-arms and too many courageous and loyal friends. He had lost everyone who was family to him.

He felt like his spark had been swallowed up into a dark and lonely pit of tragedy. And there was no-one left who could pull him out.

Prima's words drifted into his mind.

_You burn brightest of us all…_

But Optimus could see little that was 'bright' in any of his war-torn existence. All he saw was dark despair and loneliness.

The Autobot leader stopped to scan the outdoor view from the hanger's entranceway. The sight of beautiful white sunshine outside on the N.E.S.T. military vicinity greeted him. Ironhide stopped beside his leader also. Sideswipe and the twins proceeded ahead of them and exited the hanger into the outdoor sunshine. The other Autobots, Ratchet, the Arcee trio, Jolt, Bumblebee, and the tiny ex-Decepticon, Wheelie, were occupied outside amongst human N.E.S.T. soldiers and personnel.

Optimus's gaze fell earthward.

"I don't see the light…," he murmured to himself.

"I do."

Optimus turned to face Ironhide who had just spoken.

"It's right in front of me. The guiding sun that has always been lighting our darkest hours," Ironhide said with a sincere smile.

The black weapons specialist then went to join the other Autobots in the sunny outdoors. Once he was standing amongst the others, he turned round and watched Optimus patiently. Optimus then noticed that all the Autobots had now stopped their activities and were looking up at him expectantly, waiting for him to emerge from the hanger and join them.

The Autobot leader surveyed his Autobot warriors. They were strong, proud and full of hope as they looked up to him. His brilliant blue optics glowed with their deepest warmth. He realised then that he never stood alone.

He felt his spark ascend from its dark and lonely pit of tragedy, a rising white sun burning brightly in the darkness of despair…

Optimus Prime stepped out from the shadows and into the white sunlight to go to his waiting Autobot family. The last son of The Primes shone radiantly in the sun.

His words resonated, god-like, in the audio sensors of the gathered Autobots.

"My Autobots, my brothers and sisters…"

**End**


End file.
